Glasgow Looks to Bid for 2017 Sudirman Cup

BADMINTONscotland have revealed today they have formed an official bid to bring the Sudirman Cup back to Europe in 2017 for the first time since Glasgow staged the World Mixed Team Championships in 2007.

A partnership between badminton’s national governing body, sale Glasgow City Council, UK Sport’s Gold Event Series and EventScotland will deliver the bid to host the Cup in Scotland for the third time.

Glasgow first staged the Sudirman Cup in 1997, in a two-week spectacle at Scotstoun which also featured the World Individual Championships. Since then the Cup has become a stand-alone event.

BADMINTONscotland Chief Executive Anne Smillie said: “BADMINTONscotland and our funding partners have a strong track record of running world-class events in Glasgow ever since we staged the European Championships at the Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena back in 1992.

“Today we have a fabulous new arena which is perfect for world-class badminton. The Emirates Arena has already played host to the Scottish Open Grand Prix and badminton fans coming to the Commonwealth Games this summer will be able to see first-hand just how good the facilities are there.

“The Arena is certainly big enough to stage the Sudirman Cup and we all know that Glasgow have the hotels and restaurants of a high standard to meet the needs of the visiting teams as well as the many fans who follow them.

“We will have to wait until the October meeting of the Badminton World Federation Council to know if our bid has been successful but the BWF are well aware of our track record in organising and staging major events.

“But the bid team will be working hard during the Commonwealth Games and at the World Championships in Copenhagen in late August to showcase everything that Glasgow can offer in staging world-class badminton.”

UK Sport is investing around £27million to bring up to 70 major championships to the UK through its Gold Event Series by 2019 to build a strong legacy from hosting the London 2012 and the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer for EventScotland said:“Scotland is the perfect stage for major events and this partnership is focused on bringing the Sudirman Cup back to Glasgow. We have a strong global reputation as a major events destination and a passion for badminton that will provide the ideal platform for the world’s greatest players to excel.

“Over the past decade, Scotland has hosted some of the biggest properties in world sport, and we are working hard to ensure that there is a continuing programme of major events post-2014. We have already secured three World and two European Championships for Scotland in 2015, and the Sudirman Cup is one of our main targets for the following years.”

This year Glasgow will of course host the XX Commonwealth Games, as well as a leg of the prestigious IAAF Diamond League. Next year the city will welcome the World Gymnastics Championships, the IPC Swimming World Championships and the European Judo Championships.